APA leads protest demanding accountability and justice over MV Barima tragedy

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) led a protest outside the Office of the President this midday calling for the resignations of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Minister of Public Utilities, Deodat Indar over the MV Barima ferry tragedy.

Supported by other groups, the APA also called for the investigation into the ferry tragedy to be thorough and transparent.

The APA has been demanding accountability and a detailed probe of the deadly ferry tragedy, which claimed the lives of more than 70 persons, including children, while more than 30 others remain missing at sea.

Executive Director of the APA, Jean LaRose said the Association believes the Commission of Inquiry that has been set up by the President to probe the tragedy should have benefited from the input of civil society groups in the formation of the still to be released terms of reference.

“We still strongly about the lives lost, they should never have been lost in the first place. There should have been better systems in place, better transportation and so on. And of course, we expected that an investigation would have taken place, should have taken place, we expected that a Commission of Inquiry would have been instituted, and we also expected that civil society like us and others would have been consulted in the constituting of the Commission of Inquiry. What we have seen is the President unilaterally, Government wise, naming a Commission, naming the terms of reference and this therefore does not bolster confidence among the wide citizenry in Guyana”, La Rose said.

She said there is need for those at the top to account for the tragedy as there was a clear breakdown of systems surrounding the management of the ferry service.

“We have Government people who should be monitoring the system, who should be ensuring that the system is working properly, the Minister, the top man and others working with him, and I believe the people who have spoken out, how is it that you can have a boat leaving that is overpacked with people and with goods, how is it, Who was overlooking? Who was monitoring?”, she questioned.

The protest brought together a number of indigenous leaders and representatives from various regions, who all said there is a need for transparency in the investigation of the tragedy. They noted that there are still many families hurting in the affected indigenous communities and those families deserve answers.

The protest also brought out a number of activists.

Rights Activist Danuta Radzik said there must be justice in the matter and no scapegoating.

“We need a full investigation of what occurred there, We don’t accept in making the three crew members of the Barima, scapegoats in this tragedy”, she said.

Meanwhile, another Rights Activist, Sherlina Nageer said the Government has been pathetic in its response to the tragedy. “Their response has been pathetic, just like their governance”, she said.

Also in support of the APA and demanding justice in the matter at the protest was longtime activist, Vidyaratha Kissoon, who said he believes the time is now for public servants to speak up against the problems they are facing in their workplace.

“Every single public servant who is terrified that they might lose their job and every technocrat who knows that there is crap happening wherever they work, it is time to speak up and speak out”, he stated.

More than 70 persons lost their lives in the MV Barima ferry tragedy. The Captain of the vessel, who was rescued, along with another crew member and the Goods Superintendent at the Transport and Harbours Department are all facing murder charges over the deadly incident. The Director of Public Prosecutions has defended the charges.